Apparatus for applying pressure sensitive materials



A. J. MENGIS Sept. 1, 1959 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1956 INVENTOR.

ALBIN- J. MENGIS ATTORNEYS Sept. 1, 1959 A. J. MENGIS 2,901,999

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE MATERIALS Filed Feb. 1e, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 2 INVENTOR.

ALBI N J. MENGIS ATTORNEYS Sept. '1, 1959 A. J. MENGIS 2,901,999

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PREssuRE SENSITIVE MATERIALS Filed Feb. 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. LEW-l BYALBIN J. MENGIS FIG. 3. x

ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE MATERIALS Albin J. Mengis, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Wolf Brothers, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February '16, 1956, Serial No. 566,014

2 Claims. (Cl. 118-1) This invention relates to apparatus for applying pressure sensitive material and, more specifically, to apparatus for applying to one side of each of a succession of sheets of material spaced coatings, over a limited area thereof, of a fluid gum, latex or similar pressure sensitive material having cohesive properties.

In the manufacture of envelopes and other paper and similar containers there are frequently employed coatings of cohesive pressure sensitive materials in place of the previously employed water soluble adhesive materials for sealing together overlapping portions of the containers. When a water soluble adhesive is employed, if small quantities of the adhesive are inadvertently deposited on portions of the container other than on desired portions thereof, there is experienced only the adverse efiect of undesirable appearance. The water soluble adhesive dries rapidly after being applied and the containers which, for example, may be envelopes or other folded paper articles, may be thereafter promptly stacked without any adverse eifects resulting from the undesired depositions of the water soluble adhesive.

When a pressure sensitive cohesive material is employed in applications such as, for example, the closure flap of an envelope, there is provided upon the envelope two spaced strip coatings of the pressure sensitive material. The two coatings are so placed as to come in contact with each other when the flap of the envelope is closed. The material is of such a nature as to be only cohesive and thus, when the layer thereof applied to one portion of the envelope comes into contact with another portion or the envelope which is not similarly coated, adhesion does not occur. On the other hand, if a coated portion of one envelope comes into contact with a coated portion of another envelope, the two coatings cohere and the envelopes are immediately fastened together. It will be evident that in the handling of successive envelopes and in the stacking thereof during manufacture of the envelopes any misplaced material appearing on the envelopes coming into contact with regions of an adjacent envelope which are also coated with the material will give rise to cohesion between the coatings and cause the two envelopes to stick together and thus immediately serve to interrupt the proper operation of the manufacturing processes.

Whereas, in applying glues and other water soluble adhesives, the adhesive may be applied by means of a brush or a roller over which the paper or other bag forming material is drawn; the proper application of gum, latex or other pressure sensitive materials requires the passage of the paper over a knurled liquid material applying rcller accompanied by pressure of the sheet against the roller. Thus, a backup or pressure roller is desirably employed. It will be evident that in high speed sheet conveying apparatus, it occasionally occurs that the feeding of a sheet will be omitted in the sequence of operation of the machine. Under such a condition, the pres sure applying roller will come into engagement with the roller carrying the liquid pressure sensitive material and ice will thus become coated with the material. Upon the passage of the next sheet through the coating apparatus, a layer of the pressure sensitive material will then be deposited on each side of the sheet, one layer by the material applying roller and the other layer by the pressure applying roller. It will be evident that when this sheet passes through the machine, it will be the cause of difficulties such as jamming, improper stacking, improper feeding, etc. when the improperly applied layer of pressure sensitive material comes into engagement with a properly applied layer of pressure sensitive material on a next adjacent sheet.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide apparatus for applying pressure sensitive materials in which the possibility of accidentally applying an unwanted coating of pressure sensitive material is avoided.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a high speed and relatively foolproof apparatus which will reliably apply a coating of pressure sensitive material to only the desired locations and along only a predetermined and adjustable length of each of a succession of sheets of material passing through the apparatus.

These and other objects of the invention relating particularly to details of construction thereof will become evident from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially cut-away side elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus viewed from the side thereof shown in Figure 1 with the machine framework omitted;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section through a fragmentary portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the parts in different operating positions;

Figure 5 shows the parts shown in Figure 4 in still other operating positions; and

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical circuit involved.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown generally at 2 conventional apparatus for delivering a succession of sheets of material. While the particular apparatus shown is especially adaptable for delivering sheets of paper which are to be formed into envelopes, it will be evident that suitable apparatus may be employed in this portion of the apparatus disclosed for feeding various articles. The successive sheets delivered by the apparatus indicated generally at 2 are fed by a conveyor belt 4 to a conveyor in the form of a pair of spaced chains 6 positioned one behind the other in Figure 1 and extending longitudinally of the machine and on which they are engaged by transversely positioned pairs of lugs 8 which are attached to the chains 6 and advance the sheets in spaced relation as the chains advance. Each of the chains 6 is carried by sprocket Wheels 10, 12 and 14 and is driven by its sprocket wheels 12 mounted on a transversely extending shaft 20 which also mounts a drum which is driven through a belt 16 by a motor 18. A pair of longitudinally extending guide rails 38 are positioned exteriorly of the conveyor chains 6 and serve to locate the top and bottom edges of a bag or other article transversely of the conveyor chains 6 while being carried along by the lugs 8.

A sprocket wheel 22 is aifixed to the shaft 20 and serves to drive a chain 24 shown in Figure 1. The upper portion of the chain 24 passes over a sprocket Wheel affixed to a shaft 26 to which there is also affixed a sprocket wheel carrying a chain 28 and another sprocket wheel carrying a chain 30. The chain 30 drives a sprocket wheel afiixed to a transversely extending shaft 32 on which there are mounted drums 34 positioned one behind the other in Figure 2 and rotating in a bath of pressure sensitive material Within a container 36. The drums 34 are spaced apart transversely of the machine between the conveyor chains 6 and positioned to deposit strips of gum on the sheets in desired regions thereof. The gum will be deposited in strips or ribbons having widths dependent upon the widths of the drums 34. The relative locations of the strips of gum on any one sheet will, of course, depend upon the relative positions of the two drums 34 with respect to each other and with respect to the guide rails 38. The drums are slidably positionable longitudinally of the shaft 32 and may be affixed thereto by any conventional means. The drum surfaces are preferably roughened or knurled in order to improve the transfer of the rubber gum or latex material from the container 36 to a sheet to be gummed.

The guide plates 40 positioned behind one another in Figure 2 are affixed to support means 39 adjustably positioned on a transversely extending frame member 41. The guide plates 40 extend longitudinally parallel with the conveyor chains 6 for a portion of their length in the region of the drums 34. The uppermost edges of the guide plates 40 are positioned slightly above the conveyor chains 6 and slightly below the uppermost edges of the guide rails 38. The uppermost portions of the drums 34 are positioned slightly below the uppermost edges of the guide plates 40. It will be evident from the arrangement of guide rails 38, the guide plates 41 and the drums 34 that, in the absence of further means, a sheet of paper such as indicated at 43 in Figure 3 advancing between the rails 38 and over the plates 40 shown in Figure 2 by the lugs 8 on the conveyor chains 6 would not engage the drums 34 and would thus not be coated by material carried out of the container 36 by the drums 34.

The chain 28 which is driven by a sprocket wheel on the shaft 26 shown in Figure 1 drives a sprocket 42 carried by a shaft 44 extending transversely of the machine through a framework including a vertically extending member 46 attached to and extending above the frame of the machine and a vertically extending member 47 supported by a horizontally extending member 48 aflixed to the upper portion of the vertically extending member 46. Drums 50, positioned one behind the other as viewed in Figure 1, are adjustably mounted on the shaft 44 in fixed positions thereon between the vertically extending frame members 46 and 47. Each of the drums 50 is positioned above a drum 34 as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

As best shown in Figure 3, the shaft 44 is mounted in bearing blocks 52 vertically slidable under guide plates 54 attached to the vertically extending frame members 46 and 47. Afiixed to the upper portion of each block 52 is a rod 56 which extends upwardly and is attached to the armature of a solenoid 58 aflixed to the upper portion of its associated frame member above the horizontally extending member 48. Thus by means of the two solenoids 58, the two rods 56 and the two bearing blocks 52, the shaft 44 mounting the drums 50 may be raised and lowered by the solenoids 53 when they are energized and de-energized respectively. As will hereinafter become apparent, the degree of vertical motion of the shaft 44 and the sprocket 42 provided by the solenoids 58 is relatively small and, due to the relative positions of the shafts 44 and 26, the effect of this motion on the chain 23 is negligible.

For purposes of adjustment of the machine, to accommodate bags or sheets of various lengths extending transversely of the machine across the conveyor chains 6, the drums t and the drums 34 may be adjustably positioned longitudinally on their respective mounting shafts. The guide rails 38 are adjustably mounted by means not shown to position the sheets to provide for coating thereof in desired locations. The guide plates 44? are adjustable transversely of the member 41 and a guide plate 4% is desirably provided on each side of each of the drums 34. As previously noted, the width of the coatings will be 4 determined by the width of the drums 34 and the cooper ating surfaces of the drums 50 of similar widths.

The drum 5% is shown in-Figure 2 in a lowered position, i.e., the position occupied thereby when the solenoids are deenergized. The drum 50, shown in the figures, is provided for approximately one-half of its periphery with an outer layer of hard rubber indicated at 60. This rubber is of the order of 75 durometer rubber. The rubber layer is removably attached by means of countersunk screws 61. The drums 34 and 50 are so placed with respect to each other and to the thickness of the rubber layer 60 that the surface of the rubber layer 60 will engage the drum 34 when the drum 50 is in its lowermost position withthesolenoids 58 deenergized. When the solenoids 58 are energized, the surface of the rubber layer 60 is raised above the drum 34. It should be noted, however, that with the solenoids 58 deenergized and the blocks 52 in their lowermost position, the uncovered surface of the drum 50 will not engage the surface of the drum 34. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the machine when the drums 34 are changed in order to change the width of the strips of gum applied to a surface, only the rubber layers 60 carried by the drums 50 are replaced. This provision avoids the necessity of disassembling the sliding bearing assemblies mounting the shaft 44 shown in Figure 3. As will hereinafter become evident, the length of each of the rubber layers 60 does not determine the length of the strip of gum applied to a surface thereby. It is only necessary that the length of each of the rubber layers 60 be sufficient to provide engagement with its associated drum 34 for the desired time interval or linear length along a surface to be coated. The rubber layers are provided to relieve the machine of shocks when the drums 50 are lowered and to provide yielding surfaces for engagement with the drums 34.

As previously noted, the sheets of material advanced by the lugs 8 and carried under the drums 5i) and over the guide plates 4(9 will be held in spaced relation above the gum applying roller 34. However, upon rotation of the drums 50 and the passing of the rubber. covered porition of the peripheries of the drums 5i above the drums 34, the paper will be pressed down between the guide plates 40 and into engagement with the drums 34 unless the solenoids 53 are energized. The drums 50 and the chains 6 are geared together in such a relationship that one revolution of the drums 5% will occur during the passage of the space between adjacent lugs 8. Similarly, the drums 34 are advanced at a speed such that their peripheral velocities are equal to the linear velocity of advance of a sheet of paper by the lugs 8.

Adjacent to one of the rails 38 and affixed to a support arm 62 attached to the vertically extending frame member 47 is a pivotally mounted arm 64 adapted to be raised by a sheet of paper 43 carried along the rails 38 as shown in Figure 3. A switch 66 is positioned to be closed when the pivoted arm 64 is raised by a passing sheet of paper.

A transversely extending shaft 68 mounted on the frame of the machine is driven from the shaft 20 by means of an engaging pair of gears 70. A pair of adjacent plates 72 and 74 are adjustably affixed to the shaft 68 to provide an adjustable length camsurface 76 and an adjustable gap 77 in the cam surface. A cam follower 78 is rotatably mounted in one end of an arm 80 which is pivoted intermediate of its ends at 82 to the frame of the machine. The end of the arm opposite from that carrying the cam follower 78 carries a pin 84 which extends through a vertically elongated slot in a vertically extending bar 86. The end of the arm 80 carrying the pin 84 is urged downwardly by means of a spring 88. The bar 86 is urged upwardly by means of a spring 90.

Affixed to the lower end of the bar 86 is the armature of a solenoid 92. The spring 90 and the spring 88 are so selected that when the solenoid 92 is deenergized, the

spring 90 will raise the bar 86 and will raise the arm 80 against the urging of the spring 88. The parts are so positioned that under this condition the cam follower 78 is out of engagement with the cam 76 as shown in Figure 4, and the surface of the cam has no effect on the position of the cam follower 78.

As will be hereinafter described in greater detail in conjunction with the wiring diagram of Figure 6 when the switch 66 shown in Figure 3 is closed by the passage of the sheet of paper through the machine, the solenoid 92 will be energized drawing the bar 86 downwardly to the position shown in Figure 5 and Figure 1. With the parts in the position shown in Figure 5, the spring 88 is urging the right-hand end of the lever 80 downward and urging the cam follower 78 against the cam surface 76. As the cam rotates, the cam follower 78 bears against the raised portion 76 of the cam until the recessed portion 77 of the cam moves into position above the cam follower whereupon the follower drops into this recess as shown in Figure 1. As will be evident, the portion 76 of the cam functions as a time delay device, and the time interval during which the cam follower is fully engaged in the recess 77 will be determined by the length of the recess 77, which is in turn determined by the relative positions of the two discs 72 and 74.

A switch 96 is positioned below the lever 80 and the operating button 97 of the switch 96 is positioned to be engaged by the portion of the lever 80 immediately to the left of the pivot 82. The relative positions of the switch 96 and the arm 80 are so selected that the switch is closed when the arm 80 is in either of the positions shown in Figures 4 or 5 and when the cam follower falls within the cam recess 77, which can only occur when the solenoid 92 is energized as shown in Figure 5 allowing the pin 84 to move downwardly in the slot in the bar 86 as the cam follower 78 drops into the cam recess 77, the switch 96 is opened. From the foregoing, it will be evident that only when the sheet of material has raised the arm 64 and closed the switch 66 energizing the solenoid 92 that the switch 96 may be opened and then the switch is only opened for a period of time as determined by the recess 77 in the cam. Thus the length of the strips of gum applied to the sheet passing between the drums 34 and 50 is determined by the length of the cam recess linear portion of the sheet which is determined by the relative positions of the recess 77 and the lugs 8.

In Figure 6, there is shown a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit involved in the apparatus in which conductors 100 and 102 are connected to a source of power 104 by means of a disconnect switch 106. The motor 18 previously described is connected across the conductors 100 and 102 by means of a conventional motor starter 108 which is controlled by start and stop buttons 110 and 112 in the conventional manner.

The solenoid coil 92 is shown connected in series with the switch 66 as previously described in connection with the mechanical elements of the apparatus. The two pressure roll lifting solenoids 58 are connected in parallel and the parallel arrangement is connected in series with the normally closed switch 96.

From the wiring diagram of Figure 6 and the previously described mechanical parts of the apparatus, it will be evident that when the switch 106 is closed, the pressure roll lifting solenoids 58 are normally energized and it is only during those intervals when a sheet of material to be coated is raising the arm 64 and when the cam follower 78 is positioned in the recess portion 77 of the rotating cam that the switch 96 is opened and the solenoids 58 are de-energized permitting the pressure rollers to apply pressure to the sheets of material such as that indicated at 43 in Figure 3 depressing the sheets upon the applying rollers 34 and thereby providing coatings of the liquid material contained within the bath 36 upon the under side of the sheet. By adjustment of the cam segments the length and location of the cam recess 77 may be selected to provide for deenergization of the solenoids 58 and application of adhesive to each sheet for a selected time interval and over a selected portion of each sheet.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the apparatus provides means for applying a pressure sensitive material or other types of fluid materials to a moving sheet and to each of a succession of moving sheets for a predetermined limited portion of the length of each sheet. The apparatus further provides in the absence of a sheet in a succession of sheets for the maintenance of the pressure roller in a position displaced from the fluid material applying roller and thus there is no possibility of the pressure roller coming into contact with the fluid material applying roller and thus becoming coated with the fluid material which it may subsequently deposit in an undesired location on the sheets passing through the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising means for applying a fluid material to one side of a sheet of material, means for advancing successive sheets of material past and spaced from said applying means, means for pressing successive sheets of material advanced by said advancing means into engagement with said applying means, a switch controlling said pressing means, a rotating cam synchronized with said sheet advancing means, a cam follower responsive to said cam for operating said switch to actuate said pressing means to press a sheet of material into engagement with said applying means, and means for disabling said cam follower from operating said switch during periods between advance of successive sheets past said applying means.

2. Apparatus comprising means for applying a fluid material to one side of a sheet of material, means for advancing successive sheets of material past and spaced from said applying means, means for pressing successive sheets of material advanced by said advancing means into engagement with said applying means, a switch controlling said pressing means, a rotating cam synchronized with said sheet advancing means, a carnfollower in the form of a pivoted amt responsive to said cam for operating said switch to actuate said pressing means to press a sheet of material into engagement with said applying means, and means for holding said arm in an inoperative position and responsive to an advancing sheet of material for releasing said arm for operation of said switch for a period determined by said cam for actuating said pressing means to press said sheet into engagement with said applying means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,097,428 Bergstein Nov. 2, 1937 2,167,430 Booty et a1. July 25, 1939 2,218,249 Nadeau et al. Oct. 15, 1940 2,230,451 Elliot Feb. 4, 1941 2,614,522 Snyder Oct. 21, 1952 2,700,364 Fischer Ian. 25, 1955 

